


Nightstand

by Romanumeternal



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Slavery, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-14
Updated: 2014-06-14
Packaged: 2018-02-04 16:50:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1786252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romanumeternal/pseuds/Romanumeternal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally posted on my livejournal...<br/>http://romanumeternal.livejournal.com/4739.html#cutid1</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightstand

The radio was burbling on in the background, turned up unusually loud.

 

"Today, our panel will discuss the recent crackdown on homosexuality in Freisreich, which has so far led to fifteen confirmed executions; and whether it is, as some have speculated, simply a means to eliminate dissenting pro-Roman elements. We'll also be talking about the Sanhedrin Council's request for an 'independent' review of radiation levels in Judea, after the Senate once again refused to open Judea, citing lingering health concerns. And whilst high food prices may be good news for..."

 

Not that she was listening. Julia lay down on the soft bed, panting slightly; her tanned skin beaded with sweat; her face flushed; her eyes glassy and unfocused. She said nothing, her chest rising and falling, arms splayed over the bed.

 

"Pretty good, wasn't I?"

 

She flopped her head to one side lazily, smirking as she looked him over, one eyebrow raised in mild appreciation of the view. "You were decent enough, I guess." She flicked his muscular torso playfully, before running her hand up his chest, over his well-defined pectorals, and then down his thick arm; enjoying the firm smoothness of his muscles. "For a slave, anyhow."

 

He stiffened, almost imperceptibly, and Julia's smirk deepened. Honestly, men could be so dense. As though the fact they'd just rutted like animals meant she'd forget their respective positions. Gods above, she wasn't Quintus.

 

"I'm glad I pleasured you, domina" he said, the jaunty cockiness that had been in his voice previously gone.

 

She shrugged, and sat up, brushing honey-gold hair out of her face, feeling sweat cooling on her skin. She kept her voice level, unimpressed. No point in getting him get too high an opinion of himself. Witty, skilled, and handsome though he might be, she was the daughter of a Senator.

 

"Like I said, not the worst I've had." She flicked him again, this time on his ear. "You know your way around a woman, I'll give you that. Are all you secretaries so skilled?"

 

The cocky tone, a tone Julia was extremely unused to hearing, was back in his voice. "I highly doubt it, Domina."

 

"You've got quite a high opinion of yourself, have n't you? For a secretary who has only been here two weeks. I hope you don't go around bragging of this little task". Julia frowned slightly. She'd slept with some slaves before, but they were well aware of the rules governing their interaction, chief amongst them being that they should tell no one - no one - what they did. After all if her father found out, she'd be disgraced, and they'd very possibly be dead, demoted or sold. She was slightly unsure of how well this new man was aware of this rule.

 

"I am far, far, far from that stupid, Domina. I doubt you'd be sold to a mine or whatever if your father finds out about this".

 

She stood up, stepping gracefully off her bed and into view of a large, ornate mirror. Looking her naked body up and down in the mirror, Julia nodded her satisfaction. She hadn't, precisely, ordered the slave to her bed, but she'd made it more than clear it wasn't just an invitation, it was expected, and she had hinted that the secretary's life could be made rather worse if he didn't. But, admiring herself in the mirror, she reassured herself she wasn't anything like one of those awful, fat, old women who kept slaveboys in their bedrooms. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, smoothing it out. Really, if he hadn't wanted to sleep with her, there must be something wrong with him. Behind her, the him in question was struggling back into his underwear and tunic.

 

""Of course, some in the Senate actually say the nuclear purge was unjustified. But let's look at the facts shall we? If Jerusalem, Masada, and the other strongholds had not been bombed...""

 

Besides, she remembered, it was his job to serve her. Look at Antonia! She, if gossip was to believed, had a whole stable of men kept just for her pleasure. And she was stunning. Irritatingly so, really, thought Julia. So it didn't mean anything that, right at this precise moment, she hadn't got a man, and just needed to relieve some perfectly normal urges, and a slave was the nearest convenient way to do that.  
She turned around to face him, wondering why he hadn't got the hint and made himself scarce. Claudilo had brought him to assist her father and serve his family, which included her. Claudilo had not brought him, at a probably staggering cost, to lounge around on her bed.

 

""This is just another example, Bero, of the inability of the Senate to crack down hard on seditious activity. We have people agitating - actually, publicly protesting...""

 

"Don't you have chores to do?" she said, somewhat acidly. "You've served your purpose here, after all."

 

His mouth opened slightly, his face assuming, for an instant, a slightly pettish expression. Julia fought back a surge or irritation. Romulus above, how stupid could a man be? Was he under the impression that he wasn't at her beck and call? Just because he was educated?

 

"Yes, domina, apologies" he said, and Julia nodded in satisfaction, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Was it her, or was a spot developing on the side of her nose? No, it was just the light. Good.

 

"Wait" she said, and he turned back, so suddenly, like a dog hearing its master's - or mistress', thought Julia with an inward chuckle - voice. An expression of hope flitted accross his face. Julia rolled her eyes again. He was probably thinking she wanted him again, or wanted to reassure him she actually liked him, beyond the sex, or something ridiculous like that. Actually, all she wanted was:

 

"Make sure the coast is clear" she snapped. "We don't want to get found out-"

 

There was a knock on the door, and she almost jumped out of her skin. Oh, great. Damnit damnit damnit. She looked at him, seeing his face was paling rapidly, his eyes widening in horror. Great, no good ideas from that quarter, then.

 

"Shit" she muttered, more to herself than to the useless heap in her room. "Um...who is it?" she cried out, rather more loudly, her voice sounding less imposing and more panicked and guilty than ideally she'd like.

 

""Well, Freisreich is a very, very puritanical society, when all is said and done. But I think even they would not have embarked on this most recent round of executions without considerable...""

 

If it was her father, Claudilo, Greta, Olia or one of her brothers, her one chance was to delay them whilst the slave hid, then distract them somehow whilst he sneaked out. If it was a slave, she stood a chance - not a good one, but still - of terrifying them into silence.  
"It's just me, domina" a voice floated through the door. "Marlia, domina."

 

Julia sagged with relief. "I know what your voice sounds like, idiot. I'm not decent yet, is anyone else out there?"

 

"N-no, domina?" This time, there was definitely a questioning tone to the voice.

 

"Oh, come in." Marlia was a different proposition than anyone else in the household. The maid belonged to Julia alone, and knew it.  
The door swung open, and her maid appeared - a short, skinny figure; mud colored hair cut short and hanging loose just above her shoulders, her usual look of slight nervousness on her face. To her credit, thought Julia, her face betrayed not a flicker of expression when she saw him. Well, she had been in a brothel or bar or some other plebian joint, hadn't she, Julia reminded herself. She had to have learned to keep a straight face there.

 

"Well, what is it?

 

"Domina, your father asked me to tell you that he expects you ready for dinner at eight - if that is acceptable to you, domina?"  
Julia sighed the sigh of one who is asked to do something onerous, for no benefit to anyone. Sitting through an entire meal with her eldest brother Tiberius, and his tedious, mousy wife, nattering on about politics or the economy or foreign affairs or something, whilst she sat in the corner feeling more and more ignorant and ignored every minute, was hardly a prospect to fill her with joy.

 

"Fine. Gods almighty. Is he in at the moment, do you know?"

 

Marlia glanced at the man, and her eyes widened a fraction, obviously divining her meaning. Julia nodded approval. The girl was smart, no question about that. Dutiful, organised and smart, that was Marlia. Too smart, sometimes, she felt, for a maid. Still, better than a woman who had all the brains of butter.

 

"I think everyone is - busy, domina. Your father is in his office, Quintus is in the greenhouse, with Olia, and Claudilo is in the library."

 

"Good". She strode over to the secretary and smacked him - surprisingly hard - on the arse. It was, she judged, quite a nice example of a backside. "Off you go, boy."

 

He nodded, muttered 'Domina', and scuttled out, closing the door behind him. Julia sat back down on the bed, and wrinkled her noise slightly.

 

"Ri-ight. I need a wash, a shower, clean clothes and clean linen. Open the window, Marls, there's a good girl." She shot a look at the maid. Was it her, or was there a very - very - slight upward curve to her mouth? "Do stop smiling, girl."

 

"Apologies, domina."

 

She waved a forgiving hand, smiling. "And don't be so judgmental. Its been ages since I was last with a man. Ever since stupid Hadrian went off on one. Honestly, a month is a bloody long time to leave your girlfriend hanging without as much as a phone call." She pouted. She loved the man nearly - Gods, he was so intense and handsome and clever - but this behavior was really too much. She was going to have a good row with him when they reunited, followed by a romantic date and hopefully passionate make-up sex.

 

"Have you heard anything from him, domina?"

 

She shook her head. "No, of course not. When I get back to Neapolis I'll track him down and give him a piece of my mind, I can tell you that, girl. And another thing. If you even hint to him about today-"

 

Marlia outright smiled at that. "Believe me, domina, if I was that stupid I have died a long, long time ago."

 

"Good. He doesn't need to know about this, does he? Its not like that man meant anything to me. What's his name again?"  
"Scarvius, domina".

 

"Yeah, well, whatever his name is. There's a difference between sleeping with someone you like and a slave, isn't there? Unless you're Quintus, I guess, but he's mental anyway."

 

"Of course, domina." There was a slight edge to Marlia's voice, and Julia frowned, before she realised it, and felt a slight pang. From the little she knew, or indeed cared to know, of Marlia's past, she'd had far more men (and women) in the average week than Julia had had in her entire life, but if she'd ever actually loved any of them, Julia was yet to hear about it. Hades below, even she'd wanted to sleep with the girl, just to see what it'd be like. Marlia, shocked, had pushed her away, before breaking down in tears in horrified anticipation of the subsequent punishment. After seeing that, Julia hadn't been inclined to continue the experiment. Having a totally unwilling bedmate might be Antonia's thing, but she found the whole idea slightly repulsive.

 

"I mean, I think he enjoyed it" muttered Julia, slightly irritated at the unpleasant direction her thoughts were taking her. She glanced at Marlia, almost challenging. "Not that it matters if he did."

 

"I would imagine any man would be pleased to be with you" said Marlia, smoothly, and Julia smiled a self satisfied smile, smirking at the very slight emphasis on the word 'man'. Still, though, at the end of the day she had subtly ordered the man to her bed, more or less. What if he had been pretending? What if he had someone else whom he wanted to remain faithful to? What if-?

 

She shook her head. Right, this was ridiculous. At this rate she'd be asking Marlia if she wanted to get paid, and maybe take the next two months off work. Standing up, she walked across to the bathroom, realising vaguely she wasn't wearing any clothes. Oh well, it wasn't anything that Marlia hadn't seen before.

 

She smacked the maid affectionately on the back of the head as she passed, and shut the shower door behind her.


End file.
